Launching all the way back in June 2017, Xbox Game Pass has well and truly earned the title of being "one of the best deals in gaming." For the best part of a decade, Game Pass has continued to deliver exciting new indie games, long-anticipated third-party releases, and the latest first-party AAA titles day and date. When Xbox Game Pass first launched it was just $9.99 a month, but as the library has continued to grow, as has the service's price tag.
A month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will now set players back $19.99. That type of increase has become expected from a subscription service, especially one that's been around for 8 years. But according to some recent rumors, Game Pass subscribers might be in for another imminent price hike. Twitter user @RedPhx recently spotted the phrase "SubscriptionPriceIncrease" in the code of Xbox's Cloud service. There's no official confirmation that a price increase is on the way for Game Pass, nor an idea of how much it could increase by. But even after another hike, Xbox Game Pass might still be well worth the price of admission.
New Xbox Game Pass Game for June 30 Should Be the Tip of the Iceberg
Xbox Game Pass has just unveiled its entire June line-up, and there's one new addition that should open the floodgates for a beloved franchise.
Xbox Game Pass Might Still Work Out Cheaper Than The Alternative
$80 Games Are Becoming The Norm
In the last few years, there's been a not-so-subtle price hike across the board for video games. AAA first-party titles quickly went from $60 to $70, and now we're looking down the barrel of $80 being the new standard price for the top publishers' biggest games. Nintendo was one of the first to dip its toes into the water, with Mario Kart World charging $80 for a standalone copy.
It didn't take much time at all for Xbox to hop on the bandwagon, though. Immediately following the recent Xbox Showcase, Microsoft announced that Obsidian Entertainment's The Outer Worlds 2 will be retailing for $80 when it launches this October. While Xbox hasn't confirmed $80 price tags for any of its other upcoming games, it seems very likely that The Outer Worlds 2 is just the first drop in a coming flood.
There are even rumors that Grand Theft Auto 6 could be the first game to charge $100, though that's just hearsay at this point.
Xbox Game Pass' Value Would Remain Relative
Yet another price increase for Xbox Game Pass would be undeniably frustrating for subscribers, but it wouldn't necessarily mean that its value is diminished. If Xbox starts charging $80 for its first-party games, then Xbox Game Pass would likely remain just as valuable to the consumer as it would presumably still cost significantly less to pay for a month of Game Pass than to buy the day-one title outright. Of course, this would mean that players wouldn't own the game, but they would still have access on launch day for a fraction of the cost, assuming the potential price hike isn't outrageous.
Xbox Game Pass Offers More Than Just New Games
Getting to play $80 first-party Xbox games on day one for no extra charge would obviously be the primary appeal of Xbox Game Pass moving forward, but it's far from the only thing the service would offer. Xbox is still dedicated to improving its backwards compatibility. The Xbox Cloud streaming service is growing more popular by the day thanks to faster internet speeds. And Xbox Play Anywhere is already a great benefit for those who play on Xbox consoles, PC, and handhelds.
Even with a price increase, Xbox Game Pass could still be worth the money.
The Outer Worlds 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 82 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- October 29, 2025
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
